Cultural, educational, and business leaders in South Loop join forces to spotlight cultural assets of Wabash Arts Corridor in celebration of EXPO CHICAGO 2013

CHICAGO (Aug. 12, 2013) – The Wabash Arts Corridor (WAC) Crawl will take place during EXPO ART WEEK, a showcase of the city’s visual, performing and culinary arts September 16-22, presented in conjunction with EXPO CHICAGO, the International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art at Navy Pier, September 19-22.

The WAC Crawl is a free public event, open Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 5–8 p.m., and located along Wabash Avenue from Congress to Roosevelt. The WAC Crawl will feature gallery openings, concerts, dance and street performances, multimedia demonstrations, chalk art, sidewalk sales, discounts to area restaurants and pubs, the unveiling of the Columbia College’s Papermaker’s Garden and a Joffrey Ballet rehearsal performance in the storied Auditorium Theatre.

The WAC Crawl is the latest development of the Wabash Arts Corridor, a long-term partnership between the city and local business community to transform empty storefronts, parking lots, walls and vacant land in the South Loop into a dynamic, creative community that will serve as a gateway to the South Loop. Recent developments include an installation of large-scale fashion photography on the exterior of the Hilton Chicago; a mural project on George’s Lounge (650 S. Wabash); the Harrison Gateway, a collaboration with the Chicago Transit Authority to install images and haikus on the El Track support beams on Harrison Ave; expansion of the Papermaker’s Garden across from the Hilton Chicago; and updating the façade of 619 S. Wabash.

“The WAC Crawl is going to be a dynamic celebration of the cultural and educational life of the South Loop,” said Mark Kelly vice president of student affairs at Columbia College, and one of the driving forces behind the WAC Initiative. “This area is home to more than 30,000 students, 17 major cultural organizations and a thriving business community. The WAC Crawl is going to unleash the creative energy and assets of this community and use it to transform the South Loop into a major tourist destination.”

Organizations participating in the WAC Crawl include Columbia College Chicago, Roosevelt University; DePaul University; East-West University; Jones College Prep High School; The Harold Washington Library; Greater South Loop Association, Hilton Chicago; The Blackstone Hotel; The Elephant Room Gallery, Buddy Guy’s and the Near South Planning Board among others. For more information on WAC Crawl events, contact Norman Alexandroff at 312.369.7416.

About Columbia College Chicago

Columbia College Chicago is an urban institution that offers innovative degree programs in the visual, performing, media and communication arts for more than 11,000 students in more than 120 undergraduate and graduate programs. An arts and media college committed to a rigorous liberal arts curriculum, Columbia is dedicated to opportunity and excellence in higher education. For further information, visit www.colum.edu.

About EXPO CHICAGO

Art Expositions, LLC presents EXPO CHICAGO/2013, The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art. Situated at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall (600 E. Grand Avenue), Sept. 19 – 22, this four-day art event features over 120 leading international galleries and offers diverse programming including /DialoguesandIN/SITU. Under the leadership of President and Director Tony Karman, EXPO CHICAGO draws upon the city’s rich history as a vibrant destination for arts and culture, helping to define the contemporary art community in Chicago while inspiring the city’s collector base. Vernissage, the opening night preview benefiting the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago takes place Thursday, Sept 19, 6 – 9 p.m. General Admission to the exposition is Friday, Sept. 20 – Sunday, Sept. 22 (Fri. and Sat., 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.). EXPO ART WEEK takes place Monday, Sept 16 – Sunday, Sept. 20. For tickets to the exposition ($20 for one day, $30 for three day) or more information about EXPO CHICAGO and EXPO ART WEEK, visit www.expochicago.com.

About EXPO ART WEEK

In an effort to highlight the vast cultural opportunities that Chicago has to offer to collectors, dealers, art enthusiasts and tourists, EXPO CHICAGO, in conjunction with Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism and marketing organization and Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), introduces EXPO ART WEEK Sept. 16 – 22, 2013. With EXPO CHICAGO as the centerpiece, the exposition will join together with the city’s most prestigious cultural institutions for this citywide celebration of art and culture that will include museum exhibitions; gallery openings; installations; public art projects; music; theater and dance performances and special dining experiences for residents as well as visiting international cultural tourists. Visual art programming highlights include Gallery Weekend Chicago, working in tandem with EXPO CHICAGO.

For discounted airfare and hotel accommodations, travel arrangements can be made through Turon Travel, an agency dedicated to creating an expedient and fully accessible travel network for the global arts community. Guests may stay at any of EXPO CHICAGO’s partner hotels including the Conrad Chicago, James Hotel Chicago, The Langham, Chicago, PUBLIC Chicago, the Park Hyatt and the W Lakeshore.